1. Field
The present document is directed to a channel selection device, especially which is capable of providing a channel searching view to a viewer.
2. Related Art
Digital broadcasting may provide viewers with more broadcast channels than analogue broadcasting since it uses digitalized broadcast signals. Viewers select one of a number of broadcast channels before watching a broadcast program provided through the selected broadcast channel. When viewers lose interest in the broadcast program they currently watch or wonder what broadcasts are playing on other channels, they search other channels by clicking channel navigation (up/down) buttons on a remote control device. Viewers may find desired broadcast programs in the course of searching channels.
Digital broadcasting may provide viewers with broadcasting programs only after a broadcasting signal corresponding to a frame of broadcast signal has been received by a receiver. Accordingly the channel changing time of digital broadcasting is longer than that of analogue broadcasting. In such digital broadcasting, a head end may provide EPGs (Electronic Program Guides) to a receiver to help viewers to find desired channels quickly and easily.
In EPGs, such as mosaic EPGS and text EPGs, information associated with broadcast programs is provided to viewers through an additional channel. Mosaic EPGs are a graphic-based EPG where small broadcast images are arranged on TV screen in mosaic patterns. text EPGs are a text-based EPG where information related to broadcast programs is listed in text form. Viewers may easily select desired broadcast programs by viewing the information related to the broadcast programs included in EPGs without any need of changing channels to identify every channel.
However, conventional EPGs have a shortcoming in terms of bandwidth since they should contain configuration information on screen view as well as broadcast programs, and each channel should be assigned for each EPG view. Moreover, the conventional EPs require equipment necessary to transmit each EPG view through each channel to a receiver, and they require more time to transit from an EPG view to any other EPG view than a common channel transition time. Conventional text EPGs are provided in a text-based interface, which makes it difficult for viewers to identify them at a glance.
And, viewers are accustomed to selecting a channel, watching the channel transition, and therefore, they may dislike the conventional EPGs where all broadcast programs appear on the screen.